A man whose life was saved when he collapsed at Coventry Cathedral says he wouldn't be here if there hadn't been a defibrillator.

Frank Betteridge of Nuneaton suffered a cardiac arrest last year during the Advent service.

The quick action and life-saving equipment nearby helped him survive the episode.

Following the incident, the cathedral has now received a donation of £4,200 from The WPH Charitable Trust, which will help pay for two new defibrillators, as well as a batch of first aid units, three wheelchairs and a tri-wheel evacuation chair.

'Horrific noise'

“I’d not really had any history of heart problems and the incident came without warning," Frank recalls.

"I can’t really remember much about it but I do know I wouldn’t be here today if there hadn’t been a defibrillator on site.”

The new defibrillators are being used in addition to the device that saved Frank's life. It was purchased by the Freeman’s Guild following the death of one of their members from a heart attack during a concert at the Cathedral.

New devices

The Dean of Coventry, the Very Reverend John Witcombe, noted that with a growing number of visitors – the Cathedral ruins attract more than 300,000 people each year – there was a need to have a more concentrated coverage of the area.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

One of the new devices will be for use inside the Cathedral, which has a capacity of 2,000 people seated, while the other will be used within the vicinity of the ruins, which can hold an audience of 1,600 standing.

The older device is at hand in the lower floor of the Cathedral.

'Amazing equipment'

The Very Rev Witcombe issued a personal thank you to the WPH Charitable Trust.

He said: “Fortunately we were able to save Mr Betteridge’s life.

“I am hoping that we never have to use these new life-saving devices, but it is a great comfort to know that all our thousands of visitors have access to the latest version of this amazing equipment.

"Having defibrillators available in more public spaces in Coventry must be a good thing.”

What is The WPH Charitable Trust?

WPH Charitable Trust provides funding for individuals, groups and organisations which work to prevent, relieve and cure sickness in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Established in 1994 with funds from the sale of the Warwickshire Private Hospital, the trust provides grants for medical research, buildings, equipment and other forms of medical care for residents of the region.